Location:

New York City, United States

Program Type:

Full Degree

Degree Level:

Master

Specialty:

Liberal Arts & Sciences

Program Overview

Program Description:

MALS Track in the Psychology of Work and Family Attempting to manage both work and family responsibilities has become an increasingly challenging and pressing issue for many people. Because these issues are so timely and important, they have captured the attention of many academic scholars, resulting in a large body of literature about work and family issues. The aim of the Psychology of Work & Family MALS Track is to explore a variety of topics and approaches to understanding work and family issues, and to prepare students to pursue further studies relating to their individual interests. Adopting a multi-disciplinary lens, these ideas are discussed from an individual, organizational, and broader cultural/cross-national perspective drawing from psychology, sociology, political science, economics, and other relevant disciplines. Degree Requirements: This Master’s degree program includes a required introductory course (introduction to graduate liberal studies), two required core courses to introduce the student to Work and Family topics, and six courses of the student’s choice, plus the final thesis (or project). These courses will provide a total of 30 credits for the Master’s degree and are designed to conform with similar requirements of the other concentrations currently offered by the MALS Program. The two core courses will provide the student with multiple perspectives on work and family issues in order to prepare her/him to take advanced courses in psychology as well as other relevant disciplines. • The first core course, Psychology of Work & Family: An Introduction, will emphasize the psychological aspects of work and family issues as they are experienced by the individual, such as conflicts between work and family roles, and will introduce the student to major work-family (or work-life) theories and research in the psychology literature. In addition, the course will cover organizational policies and programs that are designed to help employees manage work and family responsibilities. • The second course, Cross-Cultural & Multi-Disciplinary Perspectives on Work & Family Issues, is designed to broaden the student’s perspectives and deepen her/his understanding of work and family issues. The course will extend beyond the individual level of analysis and take an international perspective by introducing the student to various aspects of context – including cultural, political, and socioeconomic aspects of context – that are critical for understanding individual work and family experiences, as well as broader policies and practices. In addition, the course will incorporate findings from other social science disciplines beyond psychology, including family studies, sociology, political science, and economics, each of which offers a unique perspective on work and family issues. Together these two core courses are designed to expose students to a wide variety of contemporary work-family issues and also prepare students to pursue their individual interests related to work and family. Examples of relevant topics include gender, families, children, careers, organizations, cultures, globalization, social policies, health, and various aspects of diversity (e.g., race, socioeconomic status, and disabilities). Students may deepen their understanding of topics that interest them through the wide selection of relevant elective courses, which are currently offered at the Graduate Center, as well as their thesis research.

Additional Program Information

Accreditation:

All of CUNY’s campuses are accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. All of CUNY’s degree programs are registered with the New York State Department of Education.

Financial Aid:

No